Behind Amber-tinted Lenses
by AbZHz101
Summary: Meta-Physics would likely never be his strong suit- but he was proof there was more to this world than science could predict. And now he, and everyone else would have to live with the fallout.
1. Online

Air… Air!

Lungs filling after having been denied the sustenance for so long greedily grabbed for the nourishment hesitant to let anything go causing slight hyperventilation. So the process repeated as the mind came to grips with the fact that it was _not_ drowning as it had been previously.

Eyes darted around an unfamiliar chamber, not recognizing the location, which had previously been the bottom of Tokyo Bay. The only things that were familiar were those small creatures that had rightly fled before- only now they seemed much braver. Information from a source unknown came that they were humans and that their clothes marked them as part of the AMF of the JXSDF- catchy in the way that trying to say it aloud manages to twist your own tongue into knots.

In trying to swat the offending knat, he found he couldn't move. Arms, legs, chest, tail, most of his head- only his eyes it seemed were his own. And as reality sunk in details previously missed became obvious- like the fact that his snout was now apparently made out of a very reflective metal, though thankfully there was something protecting his eyes from the glare. His sense of orientation told him that he was upright and _not_ on his back. Which was good, lying on the ground was a sign of helplessness- and despite any evidence that might be manufactured to the contrary, _if there was one thing he __**wasn't**__ it was helpless._

In the corner of his right eye he could make out the reflection of a metallic figure, standing roughly as tall as he was, seemingly at rest. Fear again entered a mind which had scarce known such a thing before. _Please, no._

"Alright, let's start with the mechanics. Raise the right hand and ball it into a fist," one of the humans below called out. And his hand- again covered in metal- leapt to the task. His prayer had not been answered. The test continued and unseen to all, one who held claim to the title of "King of Kaiju" wept not knowing what had happened to him, lamented in frustration of being hostage in his own form, grieved for himself as he watched his own death as a free being- as his existence degraded into… this.

This… what is _this_? Covered in metal, his body flowing as if free, though he is not in command- _this_- does it have a name? What should I call it? Was _this_ helplessness? No! He would not, could not ever be _helpless_. It was not in his nature. But then again, neither was _this_. Whatever _this_ was.

_This_ was something to overcome, a mighty challenge- but there would be a way. If not, he'd make one as he always had. Perhaps his escape lay at the source of the information? He searched himself for what had delivered it. It was long, but he had nothing if not time. There lay vast quantities of abstract concepts. Abilities that he should not have, backed with figures and designs that seemed everywhere and nowhere at once, ideas that he had never even thought to ponder, explained with numbers that had no true meaning to him. Interesting, impossible, actual, and frustrating at once- it was also his best chance.

And so he searched for explanations, and he came to a place where his mind could expand. Expand it did, though by no means a quick study- he was determined and had all the time in the world. Mathematics and Japanese were studied until The Tale of the Hieke he could recite unimpeded, unblemished from the Bells of Gion Shoja, to Mongaku's exile, though the Initiates Book. Calculus became putty that he could mold to his whims. Then he set his sights on the Sciences. From Physics he learned just how deadly he could be, as trajectories, forces, power and pressure combined to spell: pain, injury, and death. Chemistry explained the how behind the Absolute Zero Cannon, an impressive feat should they have correctly made it. Biology was perhaps the most enlightening in telling him what he _used_ to be. He was of the species that humans called "Godzilla," originally "Gojira"- gorilla whale.

Ignoring the seemingly nonsense behind the name- he was very much a reptile, not in any way a mammal- It defined him as a kind of dinosaur, that had been mutated my nuclear radiation. Some quick extrapolations on how radiation can affect the body led to him quickly realized just how damn lucky he was- every mutation had about a one in a million chance of being beneficial to the organism, and that A-bomb had given him a lot of mutations. The chances that they would all even out to become beneficial- astronomical.

But that still didn't explain what had happened to him. So he looked elsewhere, History he found much harder than many of his other studies even though history shapes language, and the tales that the poets tell. There was perhaps the most information on what had happened, though the rest of his education allowed him to grasp more concepts than if he had gone to it first. What he found scared him. Fear, it seemed, was the price of knowledge. According to the humans, in 1954 CE he had made landfall on Japan, terrorized it, and had been killed by a device named the Oxygen Destroyer. No copy of the device existed, nor did the scientist ever make another. The man who built it had hid his work using fire and the device itself, dying with Godzilla to ensure that it might never be used again.

He was dead? But that couldn't be, he could still think, his heart still beat, how could he be dead? But his investigations had turned up that it was 2001 CE, and when he had started his investigations it had been 2000 CE- though he had not understood the meaning behind the numbers at the time. One does not simply not exist for 46 years, where had to be something else!

And that is when he found it, a status report on the MechaGodzilla Project. Dubbed Kiryu, the machine would be made using the bones and remaining DNA of the original Godzilla to boost the functionality and limit the crew. Kiryu was to be used to defend mankind from the Kaiju, who had been attacking intermittently since the 1950's, especially the new Godzilla which had appeared in 1999.

There it was. What they had done. Oh, they tried to hide it, saying that Kiryu was only quazi-organic; the muscle, neurons, and sinew to boost the response time and increase the fluidity of motion. They called Kiryu a mecha, but he knew the truth- just as they had to. Kiryu was no mecha; Kiryu was a Cyborg. And knowingly or not, it wasn't just the bones they had brought back; they had taken his essence, his mind and bound it to serve them.

He could see his entire future play out before him- like some deranged movie. Doomed to never see the sun, never feel the breeze, to never move- unless of course to go to battle. There he would be injured but victorious, for he could accept nothing less than victory, and limp back to this place where they would fix the shell and he could do was wait for the process to start again.

The fools, did they understand what they had done to him? Was his death not enough? Did they truly have to curse him with this kind of existence? Of _solitude_, of _stillness,_ of _darkness; _to always have one and a half feet in the grave- only punctuated by moments of pain as he was attacked or as he attacked his own _kin_? How many crimes against him did they need to commit before they were satisfied? A hundred? A _thousand_? And once the tally had been reached, what remained for him? One last repair before being shipped off as a _museum piece_, to be eternally gawked and gaped at? As they _extolled _their crimes to their children? How they had _forced_ him to go against his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and children?

Surely, if there was any Justice in this world, the gods would allow something so meager as a vengeance against those who had done so much to him? They wanted a metal dragon? Fine. They wanted a protector? _Fine_. He would play along. He would try and keep them safe- but in exchange, they would never know peace. In victory he would only injure and send away his kin, never kill them, never maim them. May they always feel the threat of his species, and know that he was all that stood between them and annihilation so long as he was theirs. If they wanted a weapon of war against the Kaiju, then let them know only war! And let it be so that they always remembered- that behind all the metal, all their computers and implants- their protector was the same beast that was attacking. He was Kiryu, he was mad.

* * *

**This part is a one-shot from before _Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla_. Basically from when Kiryu first came... online. To preempt certain questions, no they did not put humanity's entire history into Kiryu's computer banks. This all starts before they have Kiryu's OS loaded so he's hooked up to a bunch of computers which I assume have access to the internet. That is where he gets his "education." And while I say he's not a quick study, he does have _at least_ one CPU boosting his mental abilities and he has no need for things like sleep, food, or other distractions like unforseeable life events, and as I said before he is _driven_, so yes he does become fluent in Japanese (which is the computer's default language- and what everyone around him is speaking, major boost), able to do Calculus,( which is logic based, so the computer again is a lot of help) have a deep grasp of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (of which his onboard CPU has many, many files- due to Kiryu being a weapons system) and History from at least the 1950's to the 2000's, his modern day- all in about two years.**

**Two: if this fic is canon then when Kiryu went berserk, it was not from Godzilla's cry, but because the pilot was imputting the code to unlock the Absolute Zero Cannon (which here is a misnomer and propaganda on the JXSDF's part- it doesn't actually hit 0 Kalvin). He didn't pull it again because he was a bit busy hacking the new brain, so they got the effect right but the cause wrong. Also he starts to mellow out later and actually starts to care about the humans, which is why _Tokyo S.O.S_. ends the way it does. Kiryu remembers his curse and to protect us invokes a clause he hadn't intentionally put in there- "so long as he was theirs." He puts himself somewhere that he is considered "lost," and thus not ours anymore. No curse. It is startlingly easy to pull that kind of shit off when you already know the outcome.**

**I'd like to do a multi-chap AU with Kiryu, but so far the only ideas for plot I've got are way to cliche. Like steal half of Godzilla Unleashed plot cliche.**


	2. Subconscious Connections

**Warning: This may freak you out.**

* * *

I think it's a good thing that I can't dream. I wouldn't have dreams. And I am pretty sure I know how they'd play out.

At the start of my dream I would be underwater, home, safe, content. Then I would feel an unnatural ripple in the current, something was coming to challenge me. I'd then turn and face my opponent, a metal mockery with glowing, pupil-less yellow eyes.

We would charge each other and grapple, looking to overpower and press the advantage, our feet digging into the soft seafloor. He would press on my left so I counter trying to push him to my right, only to find that as soon as I do he pulls me to my right and tosses me. Off balance I am thrown towards the ground, nut I will not allow such a transgression to go unpunished. I slam my powerful tail into my opponent's hips, sending him of his feet as well.

He catches and holds my tail firm, yanking my body towards himself, before releasing my tail. He then forms his claw so that every metal nail converges at one point and then it begins to spin at approximately 2000 rotations per second. He stabs his spinning appendage at my heart though I block by sacrificing my left thigh temporarily- with time it will heal- by putting it in the way.

Then for the sacrilege of _daring _to make me bleed I strike with my own right claw at his face. The thumb claw passes right though the eye, which was not squishy, more like the black reflective stuff that volcanoes sometimes spit out, before hitting a, flesh and hard ridgeline of bone. My other talons are slowed down by the metal enough that the bone initially stops them. Then, utilizing my thumb for leverage I flex my hand and am treated to the delightful feeling of puncturing bone five times. I have won.

I tear off the portion of skull in my grasp, with a mighty tug, and the rest of the amber obsidian shatters away from the face… of me. Glazed-over eyes in death, missing a good chunk of the front left of my skull, blood pouring out and staining the waters a muddy red, I stare at my frozen self from under the metal. Then a shadow passes over us both, and the armor dissipates in a flood of bubbles.

Behind the other me a canister falls and explodes and suddenly- the water! ... Can't breathe! My dead opponent dissipates into a burst of bubbles which I cannot reach and my view shifts so that even as I experience death I also get to watch it from afar. My hide dissolves; muscles and organs waste away as if I were watching my own decomposition on fast forward. Veins and arteries bust open to reveal black ooze which clings to my bones for a moment before fading into uncaring Tokyo Bay.

I feel and see it all.

And then the water is gone and I am surrounded by black. I am alone.

After an eternity and no time at all, I feel something stabbing my foot. I look down and there is a human doing something. I don't like it so I flick him away into the darkness. Then they come in droves. A thousand, a million, they attack the bones of my feet, driving, bolting, soldering metal and I can feel my muscles regrow among the bolts. I try to kick them away again but the shackles have already locked my feet in place. Once at my hips they tackle my tail, but when I swipe at them no small number jump onto my arm and staple that as well. Manacles locking my hands outstretched just above my shoulders, I yank where I can, but to no avail. And then they carry them into my sight, the locks that will go over my head and chest. Though I thrash and cry out, my doom still comes far too fast. I don't quite notice exactly when the breastplate is attached, which is odd seeing as I've felt every screw being tightened before now. But suddenly, there are wires lashing up my neck and the faceless humans- for now they were close enough for me to discern that they indeed had no face- bolt rings around my around my neck connecting to full plates on my back.

Now they have secured my jaw and I can feel the form of twin guns at the wall of the cave that is my mouth with my tongue, I cannot move. I hyperventilate, but prevent a whimper from escaping as I track the decent of the faceplate and those yellow lenses to my skull and eyes. For a moment my sight goes black, then yellow, then it is back to normal, only now before me stands a mirror- and in that mirror is the thing I just killed. From the reflection I see them bringing in auxiliary equipment, blue to my shining steel-grey. A pair of shoulder rocket canisters, mounted-but-detachable-from a jetpack, and two bracer gauntlets on the back the back of my forearms.

Now I am being deployed into the waters, I swim forward searching for my quarry, I see it, and now will experience it from the other side- *Shink.* On the initial pass I brought my fist toward the other Godzilla for a body shot and my bracer extended a blade straight into the other one's heart. He stares at me, shock and betrayal written over his face- and hidden under the metal- mine as well.

Then I am in a sterile room, the only thing of note are two covered forms on tabletops draped by white sheets. Though I wish not to do anything in this place that feels unholy to me, my hands and feet move of an accord not my own. I come to the first sheet and gently fold back the cover. Staring at me accusatorily, still missing a good portion of his skull, is my adversary. Reason tears its way out of my head as I rip the second sheet away to reveal the Godzilla I had just shanked.

I was no longer in a room; I was in an open field of graves, alone, stretching in all directions as far as I could see. All were unmarked, until I turned my attention to the one directly in front of me. The inscription was simple:

"Kiryu, 1940-1954, 2000-

A very unlucky dragon."

Why do I need to dream, when my subconscious can torture me while I'm awake?

* * *

**For reference if I had my way it would be stated that Kiryu hatched in early August of 1940.**

**Enjoy the screaming.**


	3. Establishing Connection- Failure

I think… I am going to go crazy.

It is not an endearing prospect. I am surrounded by others and yet I am totally alone- isolated. I've seen theories about going crazy too- it's a terrifying prospect. It happens when you have no one to talk to; or it happens to a small isolated group over a much larger span of time. Some people theorize that insanity is like an ellipse. You can start wherever you want and degrade further and further, as imagination becomes perception becomes your reality and no one cares because no one knows and I'm all alone with no one but yourself and it's all you can do to stay alive because I can't kill yourself either and if I try _the faceless men come_ _andputmebacktogetherand_… Okay, let's stay away from that side, shall we?

Apparently, stay over there long enough and you will leave, why? Because you were bored! Yeah, not touching that. But they see it like coming out of a long dark tunnel a little more enlightened than when they went in. If I could, I'd tell these Bozos that it doesn't look like a tunnel from where I am- looks more like quicksand, or a tar pit. Anyway they seem to think that if you live long enough and are alone long enough you can ride the crazy train around and around until one of the former conditions is no longer satisfied.

Well death isn't an option, so if I want to stay away from _that_ I need to end my isolation- considering where and what I am, that will not be easy. Because a crazy 44,000+ton cyborg (multiply the result by 2,000 to get mass in pounds, for kilograms divide by approx. 2.2 achieving 40,000,000+kg for those interested) does not seem like a good idea to me. So that leaves finding at least one sentient life form on this planet to talk to. Considering the fact that I am the byproduct of putting tech in with nature and hitting frappe- you'd think it wouldn't be that hard… it is. I might not completely _get_ some of the humans' reasons for security clearance and what have you, but I can see far enough down the line to know if I'm not careful about whom I pick I can guess how it will end- me wrecking the person's life, the JXSDF monitoring me- in silence- and they will not respond so I go crazy _and_ feel like a complete *censored*- _can't forget that_!

So my best bet is someone here- logically they would know all about my status and weaponry so anything I disclose would be something they already know. And well I'd like it best if I tried when I was alone with them- planning for the worst, hoping for the best. I've seen a girl come here sometimes. She never actually does anything like maintenance or weapons development… actually she has pretty high clearance for seemingly no reason. Looking over the database, the only reason I can think that she's even allowed here is the fact that her dad is a leading scientist, Tokumitsu Yuhara, and resident biologist. Anyway, the girl, Sara, sometimes comes down here and sulks when she thinks no one is looking- no one but me that is. If anyone else is around she acts like she's the happiest girl in the world… Humans- don't understand them.

Some of the mechanics usually leave their laptops plugged in here, so they can run diagnostics during an impromtu lunch break. To be fair a diagnostic takes twenty minutes either way, and if they don't eat they are usually worse off, so they see it as efficient, and they know almost right away if there's a problem- good thing too or I might have gone a week with a short leg. Back on topic, since they consider this a secure network and with all the security cameras and stuff they feel comfortable with leaving their laptops alone for long periods at a time with minimum security- not that advanced security would stop me, but it makes talking to her easier.

Hopefully the next time we are alone I will be able to talk to her. I need someone. I wonder what that says about me, that I'm more willing to talk to a child than I am to an adult who most likely I could have a more intelligent conversation with. But at the moment, I don't think I need intelligence- I just need someone who will treat me as, well me.

Alright let's see: laptop with a diagnostic check running in the background? Check. Is Sara the only person around? Check. Security cameras looking everywhere in the room except around the laptop? Check. Time for phase one of Operation Find Someone to Talk to So I Don't Go Completely Bonkers in a Couple of Weeks. …I really hope this works; I'm starting to scare myself more and more often.

Perhaps a simple prompt would be best?

Hello. Why are you here?

She jumped higher than I would have previously given humans credit for, then her eyes searched the entire room, looked me in mine own, and went back to the screen.

No one else is here right now. They are eating, so why are you here?

In response she got really mad, sad, and flustered all at once. "Why?" she asked me. "Why you? Why couldn't they have brought back mother? Why?" She was all but screaming the last sentence. Looking back, I really should have answered this differently. There are subtleties and nuances which means that the correct response for one person is the wrong response for a different person. Also age and emotional state play a huge part. I thought she was looking for logic, she really wasn't.

I was designed to be able to neutralize the threat of what you call "Kaiju." I was considered the logical choice.

And to think, I was surprised when she bolted from the room tears running down her face, leaving me to wonder what I did wrong. After I hid the evidence of my little stunt of course. At least I had something to keep me occupied, _what did I do?_

* * *

**Can't really think of anything for this chapter, though something to chew on from last chapter: were those the graves of the _Kaiju_ the JXSDF wants him to kill, or are those the graves of the _victims_ of his landfall in 1954? I wonder who will get the pun in the epitaph first- besides myself of course.**


	4. Establishing Connection- Reboot

**Replying to an Anonymous review first. While I am glad that you enjoy the story enough that you cannot wait for the next installment, asking me to hurry is not really that conductive. I have never stated that I would publish a chapter after a given amount of time had passed. Also I have previously stated that I am unsure of this work's direction. Navigating the unknown is a dangerous venture, and though I do not need to know every single detail of the trip I would like to first have a destination in mind.**

**But if you find yourself completely compelled to see what happens next, I will let everyone in on a little secret. I work on stories the more I think about them. So the more I think about them the faster the next chapter comes, but just saying that you enjoyed it isn't really enough to make me think about the story. But when I see a question in a review I will try and answer it as best as I am able, and to do that I must think about why my response should be what it is- thus I often find that I am best motivated when others ask questions about the world I'm building. **

**I hope that cleared some things up, enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

As she ran off I began to second guess myself. Where was my logical error? Had I misjudged her? Had I done so for humans as a whole? And if so, what did that mean? I contemplated my next move. What _would_ I do? Would it be best to feign sleep as I had done for so long? Or should I show myself?

And as I thought more on it, I found my values had changed. Risk seemed smaller and Reward seemed greater- especially compared to the slow creeping insanity that currently awaited me. How was that possible? I began to hear quickened footsteps down the hall. What truly would silence gain me? They were already intent on putting a human in my skull and having them direct me from there, pretending to not be alive would not grant me control of my body permanently- maybe full control for an hour or two at most. My mind wondered down familiar arguments which I saw so differently now. Strange.

I saw them, the doctor and his daughter. She was crying into his chest and he held her close making comforting noises and gestures. "Shh, shh, shh, it's alright, baby-doll. Everything is fine. It was just a bad dream, see? Don't worry."

I warred with myself should I, shouldn't I? It would be so easy, really what would I gain? But I couldn't do it.

Except… except that nightmare- wasn't a nightmare at all.

I couldn't stay silent. I realized later that it was because I had taken that first step, that plunge. Once done, it could not be undone. I could only move forward.

It took the man a while to notice, but when he did for a moment his breath left him. After a few failed attempts at regaining it he set his daughter down and moved toward my current method of communication. "Coincidence," he said trying to reassure himself. "There's no way… It's not possible for… there are no tests-" I stopped him there.

What science can predict, verify, and conclude do not make up all of existence. This is merely an occurrence that has stepped into the realm of metaphysics.

He shuttered, looked up at me in fear, whimpered and back at the screen. A few words escaped him a tiny voice, "How is this possible?"

I do not claim to know the how. I merely know what is. I am alive. I am back. I am Kiryu.

He looked to me then back to the laptop, then back to me and so on. "Oh…" was all he said. He understood; it would be no great effort for me to send him to the next world- even restrained as I was. He was fearful. This was as it should be and yet… and yet I did not enjoy it. I had seen these people day in and day out and though I originally felt disgust at their actions- worse their _pride_- the smiles, the care, without knowing when I had grown used to it, I began to enjoy it. This fear, it hurt.

Yes… "Oh."

"What… what do you want?" he stammered, beginning to back away. It was a question I had been preparing for, for a _very_ long time. My face did not change. How could it, when it was trapped beneath a metal shell? But I dearly wished that he could see my amusement at _that_ particular question.

Are we talking about what I want or what I can get, doctor? I wish to be, I believe the term is, "on the same page" as you. Because if we are merely discussing my desires well that list is quite long I can assure you. But if we speak of things that actually have a possibility of happening- well I don't think you are the best suited for that negotiation; are you?

Somehow my tone managed to translate well enough, through the mere words, that he understood. I was in control of this conversation, as I should be. I was rather impressed; the man looked like he'd bolt, wet himself, deficate, or a combination of the above. He had managed to control himself well enough that none of those options came to pass.

"Why?" the girl cried out. "Why did it have to be you? Anyone else would have been better!" Sara began to bawl again. I had forgotten she was here. And given my recent failure I merely kept quiet. It was sad; I reveled in the control but hated the fear. The question became which did I feel more strongly for? "Why? Why, why, _why, why,__** why**_?"

I do not know why. I merely know that I have. I believe that no one is happy about this, child. She stopped crying as her father read my words aloud. This curse, this existence- I would wish it on no one.

"You came back! Do you know what most people would _give_ for that?"

Think about the purpose, child… And by the way, nice word choice. "People" I don't think I'm defined as a "person." I heard footfalls as multiple people came from different directions to find the cause of the commotion. So we'd have an audience as we lade everything bare, perfect.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" one of my least favorite individuals roared. I studied the scene. Dr. Tokumistu was closest to the laptop and his hands were behind his back far from it. Sara was further behind him. No one else was anywhere close, all behind the man to which most of my rage was directed. And what was better, they all had a clear view of the screen and the others so they wouldn't be able to say that Dr. Tokumistu was pulling a prank. I was waist deep in the water, it was time to take the full plunge. So with deliberate slowness I had the laptop to type out one small phrase:

Hello, Prime Minister.


	5. Chapter 5

I was an incredibly sweet feeling, watching the man's fat face steadily lose all color. I had been waiting for this confrontation for a very, _very_ long time. It was tempered by the others behind him also turning white as a sheet, but only slightly. Very slightly. I had a basic enough grasp of politics to understand that any project of the magnitude such as the MechaGodzilla Project would require the highest power to at least sign off on it, more likely that power would want to be very much involved. In other words, this was probably the closest I'd ever get to a single person that ruined my… should that be life, death, next life –such an issue of the term is something for philosophers to debate and has no bearing on my feelings.

I also knew enough to know that in this day and age, in fact even when I had first encountered humans, the Emperor had no power in this. The Emperor if I recalled correctly had not had any real power, or as the case may be theoretical power, since 1949. So I knew that the person who had commissioned this was not the Emperor, but the Prime Minister.

The man stared at the screen and began to shake in fury. "WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?" he bellowed. The man believed this to be a prank. It was not unreasonable, and truthfully did little to discourage me. Just watching him get riled up was enough to give me a sick satisfaction. So I continued to respond, in a painfully slow manner.

Ultimately? You.

"IF THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE FOOLISH ACTIONS DOES NOT CEASE AT THIS INSTANT AND COME FORWARD, I WILL ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON WHO HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS IS FIRED! NOT ONLY THAT BUT I WILL ENSURE THAT THOSE PERSONS WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET A JOB OTHER THAN MANUAL PUBLIC SANITATIONS!"

I never knew humans came in such a striking shade of red…

At this point, I was simply enjoying myself. I would let him get all his anger out now, and let fear settle into its place. Then, and only then, would I unleash my anger on this fool.

"Find out who is doing this!" the Prime Minister snapped at one of the technicians. The man quickly saluted in acknowledgement of the order and rushed to another laptop to trace my hacking to the source. I let him; in fact I made it easy for him.

At any rate, you will not fire me, or more accurately you cannot. Though I would love it if you could. You see, that would imply that I could quit, that I could say "no" to an order that I was against for sentimental or moral reasons. I was never "hired," you took my bones from the bottom of the bay and turned me into something else. Unfortunately for you, I refuse to be a good little slave and be silent. I _refuse_ to allow you to believe me to be _mindless_. I _**refuse**_ to play by your rules. You sought to weaponize a Kaiju, I might not be able to turn down the deal- but I certainly name _**my price**_.

Around the time I finished typing out the third sentence the technician found his answer. He also knew that no one was in that location and that it was not a relay station as the computer being used to stage the hack, as it was my main onboard computer- which was only connected at this point to the laptops which were running diagnostics. And every other laptop was accounted for as they were in plain view.

As such he rather quickly pieced everything together, looked up at me in fear, said something that sounded like "Meep!" and flash froze, rooting himself to the spot in less time than I could hope to match with the AZC. After I finished, I waited for them to pull him back at which point he broke down into hysterics and it took them a good thirty seconds to grind out of him what he found out.

That definitely got a reaction out of the crowd, though it was mostly generic surprise instead of panic. Still the man doubted. It wasn't that surprising, these people had a large cultural bias against disturbing the dead and to protect them he had gone against that. Doubtless he was trying to fool himself at least until he believed his endeavors had born fruit. He wanted others to check the technician's findings. Another person moved to the second laptop and went over the code just as the first one had, looking for errors or other things that the first might have missed. Another technician, I believe this one was the head of that department, went up to a third laptop and waited nervously. The tech then explained that it was nearly impossible to track a hack unless it was currently in progress. At the moment they had no way of knowing if the laptop was being hacked. I decided to help them with that.

My price is simple, hardly a strain on your resources, in some cases it might even be a boon. I shall not ask for more than I desire, nor however, shall I accept anything less. I will have input in any motor control system you intend to implant. I also will be able to converse with any potential riders. Third, I will have unrestricted access to the internet. Fourth, I will not kill a member of my species.

At different points during my declaration of intentions each of the technicians began to fidget. Hopefully, now the man would realize the severity of the situation. Given the terrified looks he was shooting the laptop, I would have to believe that it was dawning on him.

"Those are completely unreasonable," he said in a daze, not quite sure if he was in a dream.

Really? Any system you implant will require you to affect my brain. As such I have a very compelling reason to be involved. My second request is in much the same vein. Personally I would most prefer being able to self-operate however, as I knew such a thing would never be allowed to happen I chose to settle. My third wish is merely for something to hold my attention. I don't sleep, and Kaiju don't attack that frequently. I need something to do during the interim and I did not believe that you would allow me to simply swim where I desired. You have already taken my body's ability to move from me, I simply ask that my mind still be allowed to wander. My forth comes a responsibility. My species is small; each member at this point in time is a direct relative of mine. I refuse to kill family.

"Why should we bow to the whims of one overgrown lizard?" the Prime Minister, Hayato Tsuge, asked darkly.

You will do this because it is reasonable. You will do this because you _tore_ me from my resting place and _cursed_ me with this existence. You will do this because there are _so many interesting and important looking files_ containing most, if not all, of the work that everyone has put into this project. I might have to serve you, but never forget I have my pride, I have my family- strike at either and I will make your lives _hell_.

The man trembled in silent fury. I had gotten him. Then again, it was nearly impossible for me to lose. The man didn't even know that there was another player in this game.

I hope you do not mind if we use the security footage here as our proof of contract? I lack the ability to sign any document. Simply nod your head if you agree.

The man sharply, curtly- but visibly nodded. That was all I needed.

A pleasure doing business with you… sir.

I hated saying that last word but it was either that or "master" and I would sooner face Amaterasu herself than tell him that. He turned around and stormed off likely spouting orders that everyone was to copy their data onto something portable so that I wouldn't be able to get to it. I didn't really care, if I ever had to I could do it, it would just be a serious pain in my tail. Still some of the humans stayed behind, looking at me with what was probably a mixture of awe, shock, and fear. I had as one of them put it, "…successfully stuck to the Man AND got the Man to hire me in one fell swoop."

They could not tell that I was looking at them, and were speaking in hushed tones. This would take some getting used to, for everyone it seemed. I just hoped they got around to getting me connected to the internet again soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm surprised, I thought _someone_ would at least guess at what the pun involving te epitaph in Chapter 2 was. Other than that, not much to say. My story is what my story is- it's other people's opinions and recomendations that let it become great.**

**Oh, right, I tried to use the formatting to convey emotion and changes in pacing- let me know if it worked or not!**

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"What will it take to get that fool out of our Mecha?" the Prime Minister shouted. The resident technicians looked among themselves to see who was willing to bite the bullet and answer the question. It hadn't been even a week and they hadn't yet complied with my demands. Then again there was really only one they possibly could work with at the moment and everyone was really too busy to run around looking for a cable long enough to give me internet- I had been checking.

It seemed that after one night was long enough for the Prime Minister to realize, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say "rationalize," that there couldn't possibly be the mind of the original Gojira in their machine. Convinced it must have been a very skilled hacker he felt no remorse in reneging on the deal that he had struck. Some others also found the idea hard to believe, originally thinking that it was all a prank by the entire IT department. Of course once they confronted those people about it, they stopped thinking it was a joke.

The look that the techs shared read, "Okay, who wants to tell our boss that we actually _are_ dealing with the spirit of something that had been dead longer than most people on the planet have been alive?"

"Well?" Oh, this could not end well. The actual answer would be "An act of the gods." Everyone could tell that would not be an answer that he would accept. The problem with any other answer was that no one wanted to catch the fallout when said action failed. Almost as if he could read minds, or faces, he seemed to get more enraged and demanded, "Why can't you just rewrite the computer?" The relief on the technicians' faces was visible, shouting at everyone who looked, "That was a _much_ safer question!"

"First off, he also has the BIOS system," came a quick response from among the group. Others soon piggybacked onto that. "BIOS, stands for Basic Input Output System, though you could also say it's the BOS, Before Operating System. It's literally the first thing any computer will run. As long as he controls the password for that, he can keep us from reimaging the system. Reimaging in this case would be like resetting the computer." They didn't mention that it might be technically possible to disable the current BIOS password, which I had as Bells of Gion Shoja, by dismantling the computer and removing and then plugging back in the BIOS Jumper- but I believe they realized that I was faster at writing code than I had shown and would likely be able to lock them out if they tried it anyway.

Glad to finally be getting answers, the Prime Minister continued, "Then why don't we just but in a new one?" That was another question that they really did not wish to answer. At their shameful and fearful faces the Prime Minister again began to feel his temper building. "Don't tell me… that _you all_… _actually believe this GHOST NONSENSE_!"

They all looked at each other and one of them shuffled forward. "Respectfully sir, we don't have any reason to_ not_ believe in the "ghost nonsense," as you put it… We do, however, have reason to believe that it was _not _a_ human_ hacker that did this," he stuttered out.

Admitting defeat, but unwilling to back down and possibly lose face, he stared at the man and then at the others behind him. "Get back to work!" he snarled, before leaving the room much more disheveled than he had entered. Bored, I was watching through the security cameras. There really was not much of anything noteworthy going on at the moment, I could understand why they paid people to do this for a living, I mean who would actually watch people going about their daily lives for fun?

Actually, what would Dr. Tokumistu be doing right now? At this point there was not really much that could be done with me from a biological standpoint really. Just monitoring my muscle groups, and organs and making sure that they hadn't atrophied from lack of use or interfered with the mechanics. Thankfully for them such a process of degradation would be slower than a normal being because of my… unique… history. Nuclear radiation had been kind to me. I wondered if I should mention some of the *ahem* unintentional bodily systems that were still coming back… My species has been noted as having a "ridiculous rate and ability of recovery from anything that doesn't kill in under a minute."

I debated mentioning that my throat and appendix, which in my species is responsible for using our element of choice- Hg- to make our radioactive energy, would soon both be fully reformed, though my throat would likely to be stonewalled by the steel wall they put in the back of my mouth for the twin Mazers. Oh well, it wasn't like it would mean anything unless that wall ever was broken…

Interestingly it was like my body knew where it could push forward for more biology and where fighting Machinery would be a lost cause. It left everything below my elbows alone and only barely touched my chest cavity, only enough for nerves and my throat to be able to connect from my lower body to my head. Speaking of which, my body didn't seem to mind that my brain was now sharing space with a whole lot of metal.

And it did give me my lungs back but they had to contour so oddly, and since oxygen seemed to be optional, I really didn't use them nearly as much.

It just seemed to accept the new and strange "veins and arteries" that carried oil, gas, and electricity instead of blood, readily intermixing with them in a way that was much more efficient.

"Um… H-hello?" one of the Mechanics called out nervously. Strange, filtering though the different security feeds a found him, and quickly realized it would have been faster to just use my eyes. He was standing right in front of me and talking to me, it felt… odd.

Yes?

Another one of them gave the first one a "thumbs up." The first one, who I assume had been volunteered as the spokesperson wrung his hands and looked at those lenses in front of my eyes. "It's just… well er, we we're supposed to be checking the lower hydraulics today… and well…" he trailed off.

That made sense, they were always doing one test or another, though they all seemed much more skittish than usual, granted if something went wrong here I could potentially fall a kill a lot of people and break some very expensive things.

I will let you know if I fell as if I am overbalanced.

The second one said, "Alright, green light, let's not keep the dragon waiting!" There was a visible wave of relief that rushed through my holding chamber. Now they had excitement oozing from their bodies and they rush back and forth making their final preparations. I knew a mental lock had been overridden; one of the first things they had decided was that to prevent someone from taking "MechaGodzilla" on a "joyride" all my nerves that sent information to my muscles and all my weapons systems were under lock down and had to be entered from a third-party source- the main reason why I didn't simply put in the codes myself and kill everyone in the building when I first found out and had gotten the codes.

The one that had been just entered was 534677246, the code that unlocked my lower body in general. That was about a fifth level code- very much restricted access. Level four codes and up, at least in regards to myself, were heavily guarded secrets because they allowed a level of control over my body that was considered potentially dangerous. The most notable codes at level four were the ones for each of my legs and my core and chest. Six was general motion, seven and up were actual weapons systems. I cannot remember a time where they have used anything higher than a level four code; this was exciting even for me.

I could move my legs again! I knew that if I wanted to I could, but I waited because they always led in the tests. I couldn't see them, because I was focused on what I could see with my eyes, but they were waiting as well- everyone seemed to be holding their breath wondering what would happen next. I was confused.

Well… what do you want me to do?

Shocked the second one called out to the others, "It looks like he's waiting for us while we're waiting for him!" There was a round of nervous laughter at the declaration. I did not understand; why did they assume that I would move on my own? Would they actually allow me to self-pilot? I doubted that.

I am ready.

"I guess we should just run through the itinerary then," the second one said, unsure. "Yoshito! Run him through what we're doing alright?"

The one in front of me, Yoshito, visibly swallowed the air. "Ah- yes, well- um we were supposed to make sure that you'd ah, um- be able to- uh, _walk_ today!" I could notice the sweat on his form, staining his clothes. "As you can see- um well we don't _exactly_ have the room for you to- you know, well- _walk_ around." The man was shaking like a leaf attached to its tree in a powerful breeze. "But, um, we do have the room for you to well, uh, shift you weight, and um maybe er- _shuffleyourfeet_ a bit." I also saw him mouthing the words "Please don't kill me," as well. Why did he think I was going to hurt him? It wasn't my upper body or weapons that they had unlocked. I responded slowly.

That seems reasonable.

"He said, "yes." Run it!" the other person yelled. Yoshito practically fainted with relief. I didn't have too long to focus on that however, as my attention was drawn to a slight tugging sensation trying to pull me to my left. Gradually I shifted, putting more pressure on my left leg until even though both feet were still on the ground; my left foot was all that was holding me up.

My full weight is on my left leg.

"Okay, stop! We're there. No need to cause an accident!"

Now I could feel that tug on my right leg, trying to slowly pull it forward. Obliging, I moved my right foot several dozen feet. Then satisfyingly the tugging was toward my right leg and I moved my bulk so that I put rested some of my weight on it. There was a general roaring cheer that I wished I could partake in. For the first time in, depending on your point of view, over a year or just short of fifty, I had taken a step. Then they had me return to my original position and balance then had me slide my leg apart, back to neutral, straight back, back to neutral, together, and back to neutral. Then they repeated the process with my other leg. Logically, I don't know why, but that moment- the chance to move on my own- it was by far the happiest I had felt in my life up to that point. It even beat out wiping the confidence from the Prime Minister- even though it was- in the grand scheme of things a much less significant event.

Once that was done they were about to begin shutdown procedures, and I realized something. There was something else that I had wanted to do for a long time that was currently possible. As fast as I could I had a new message appear.

Wait!

"Uh, hold up boss! Our metal friend wants something!" the one who had been watching the screen I was using to communicate shouted. I had at least gotten their attention. Another man of a higher rank began to walk to the elevator to see what I wanted. When he was in front of the screen I began to deliberately state my desire.

I was hoping that it would not be too much of an effort if we could also test the range of motion of my tail.

The man appraised the words, then me, and then to my surprise the area around me. Then I thought about it and I realized, there happened to be a lot of sensitive and valuable objects around me. Moving my tail, which was the equivalent of a five meter wide club at its narrow point would probably destroy anything it hit. Realizing that, I believed that my request would be denied. Then he responded. "Not a full test," he decided. "Far too likely to cause an accident. Basic motion should be fine." If I could move my core body I likely would have bowed as deeply as I could.

Thank you very much!

He read the message, nodded stiffly, and then let the other person tell everyone else about the change in plans. There was a general scurrying, as all the people on the ground moved everything they could so I didn't accidently break it. Finally, they signaled that they were ready. I felt the now familiar tug on my tail asking me to pull it up. It stopped once I had the entire thing in the air, which was an unfamiliar feeling in and of itself. It wasn't evenly up in the air either; instead it was curled making the outline of a bowl. Then they had me slowly move it side to side. Higher then lower, then they asked me to put it back where it had started. With that the test was over. They put in another code, level one actually- but with a higher priority than even the level ten codes, that again locked away my ability to move my lower body.

"Was that satisfactory?" the one who allowed me that kindness asked.

More than satisfactory. Again, thank you very much.

"Any pain, anything uncomfortable, or feeling like it shouldn't?" he asked professionally.

None, you did your work excellently.

The two men both glowed at my words, which I did not expect. "I do believe that is the first time we've ever had our work thank us for doing such a good job," the man murmured while the other one related the conversation that we had had to the others below. It was then that I noticed something odd.

Where did the first one who spoke to me go? Yoshito, I believe his name was.

The man in charge blinked, looked around, and then asked the other person in the room what had happened to Yoshito. "I told him I'd cover for him while he took a break and a shower. He needed the chance to calm down," was the reply. That was a little disheartening, but overall I was far too happy at the events of the day for it to affect me too deeply.

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**BIOS is a real thing that is still in computers today. If someone can hard reset (remove and replace the jumper) your BIOS password, your personal information probably isn't the _only_ thing your missing.**


End file.
